


A Long Homecoming

by junko



Series: Senbonzakura's Song [1]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Blow Jobs, Bondage, Kinbaku, M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-14
Updated: 2013-12-14
Packaged: 2018-01-04 13:54:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1081793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The advance team returns to the Soul Society and Byakuya and Renji are finally reunited.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Long Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> And so begins the new series in the never-ending ByaRen soap opera that began with ["The distance between us"](http://archiveofourown.org/series/15002) and continued through ["Curse of the Nue,"](http://archiveofourown.org/series/21777) ["Chasing Demons"](http://archiveofourown.org/series/27457) and, most recently, [ "Written in the Scars (of Our Hearts)."](http://archiveofourown.org/series/43255) If you've read none of those, this will probably make no sense whatsoever. :-)
> 
> Thanks goes to Josey (cestus) for her cheerleading, diligent typo-ing, and general awesomeness. Apologies for the length, but apparently having the boys back together made me write ALL THE WORDS. 
> 
> On that note, if you're reading for the sexy bits, feel free to skip/skim to the very last space break.

Byakuya didn’t like being used this way. It seemed clear that neither did Kenpachi. But they’d taken up position, like honor guard, and led the group through the Precipice World. Byakuya walked in front with Kenpachi guarding the rear. It felt eerily reminiscent of the trip back from the Human World, when he and Renji had fetched Rukia… for Aizen.

Like that time, everyone was silent, lost in their own thoughts—all of them, clearly thinking about how wrong this was.

Rukia looked miserable. She knew, like they all did, that no order from the Soul Society would hold Ichigo Kurosaki back. There was no doubt he was already making plans to rescue his friend, Ms. Inoue, who was clearly captured and not a traitor.

Captain Hitsugaya seemed to be trying to bore holes in Byakuya’s back with his glare. His reiatsu pulsed and flared so much Byakuya suspected they were in danger of attracting a cleaner. But, Byakuya could hardly blame the captain. To be dragged back like a criminal…or a child? Hitsugaya and his lieutenant had never, not even momentarily, worked against the Soul Society during the troubles with Rukia. In fact, without the cleverness of Captain Hitsugaya, none of them would’ve ever uncovered the depth of Aizen’s betrayal. 

To not be trusted to return on orders or to be able to rein in those who would not? It was an insult of the highest order.

The two Eleventh Division officers were the only ones who seemed unaffected by this, though Byakuya thought they were subdued as well. Perhaps, they were like their captain and were frustrated to be pulled from a fight that had only just begun.

And, Renji…

Renji seemed surprisingly resigned, calm, and cool-headed. He’d been the one to usher Rukia out, putting himself between her and Ichigo, making it clear that this was not the time for a show of misbehavior.

It was very astute. 

As had been Renji’s swift intervention to tell Ichigo to stand down in front of the Head Captain. Renji had even made a counteroffer that any reasonably intelligent military commander should’ve considered. After all, Ichigo was going to charge into Hueco Mundo regardless. Only a fool would think otherwise. So, why not allow Renji and some of the others to accompany Ichigo in an official capacity? 

It was quite the slap in the face to be denied.

And for no good reason.

This was a strange pull of the leash and Byakuya didn’t like being part of it, not at all. 

Renji took it well, though. Almost too well. There wasn’t even a flare of temper from him at all. Though Byakuya didn’t dare even reach out with his reiatsu, there was something about Renji that seemed off—as though he were a little withdrawn.

Perhaps that was how he was coping.

Byakuya couldn’t say anything about it until they were out of the Precipice World, of course. There were too many eyes here, especially after Ms. Inoue was taken. But, Byakuya had an acute impression that this whole foolish return was a test—a test of loyalty. 

Theirs.

Finally, the doors of the senkaimon parted and they stepped through. Byakuya scanned the area, half-expecting to be able to sense Second Division ninja hiding nearby. But, if they were there, he couldn’t feel their presence. He decided to remain circumspect, just in case. “Rukia,” he said as she filed past him. “Perhaps you would join Renji and I for dinner?”

She blinked away her brooding enough to muster a little smile, “I’d be honored, nii-sama.”

With a nod, Byakuya turned away, confident that Renji would fall into step behind him.

Once they were a safe distance from the others, Byakuya asked, “How long before you and Rukia go after Kurosaki?”

There was a gruff laugh, more amused than surprised. “A couple of days, tops.” Stepping up a bit closer, Renji added in a low voice, “She’s going to want to go tonight, but there’s no way.”

“We will delay her only long enough for me to provide adequate cover for your absences. If there’s to be a court martial, we might as well all go down for it. Together.” 

Byakuya swore he could feel Renji’s smile like the sun on his back: “Hai, Taicho.”

 

#

When they finally got to the captain’s office, Renji closed the door. He hung on the doorframe for a moment, feeling the solidity of it under his fingers. His head felt… muzzy. Like, he had a head cold, and things were floating some distance from his brain.

“I’ve rung for tea, Renji. Come sit.”

Renji made his way over to his usual spot. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake this feeling. “Uh, yeah, listen, if I seem out of it, it’s because we did the thing,” he said as he plopped down on the floor across from the captain at the low table. “You know, with Urahara.”

Byakuya gave him a look Renji couldn’t quite interpret, though he was pretty sure the word ‘moron’ might be involved.

“What?” Renji blustered, “How was I supposed to know that Orihime was going to go get herself captured? You think I would have done this, if I did?”

Byakuya touched his eyebrow, running his fingers along the elegant curve of it as if trying to press away a headache. “The timing couldn’t be worse.”

“You’re telling me,” Renji grumbled, wishing the tea was there so he’d have something to fuss over. 

Instead, he found himself looking around the Captain’s office happy to see it was just as he last remembered it. Imposing bookshelves lined the walls, filled with volume after volume of regulations, histories, and other official, impressive-looking things. Only this little corner was homey, with pillows on the floor and a bright watercolor of bees buzzing camellias. They’d had countless meals here, though more in the Captain’s quarters. The memory of which made Renji smile.

Byakuya caught Renji’s gaze, eyes seeming to desperately scan every detail of Renji’s face. “How are you? How do you feel?”

Renji had been thinking about how to describe the sensation for a while. But, the best he’d come up with made very little sense, “Kind of like I’m wrapped up tight in a blanket, all snuggled up, me and Zabimaru.” He waved a hand in Byakuya’s direction, “And you’re… way over there.”

Aio chose that moment to arrive with tea. As she set the things down, she seemed pleasantly surprised to see Renji. He gave her a big grin, “Hiya, Aio.”

She nodded at him demurely, but a happy little blush bloomed on her cheeks. Renji knew she wasn’t supposed to say anything--in fact he’d kind of made it all awkward by noticing her at all. The casualness of the Human World and life at the shōten, had kind of wrecked him for all this formality. He was going to have to pay attention.

Aio scurried back to the door and was so flustered she almost forgot to ask, “Do you need anything else, my lord?”

“No, thank you, Aio,” Byakuya said. “But tell Miki that Lady Rukia will be joining Renji and I for dinner tonight.”

Her head touched the floor, “Yes, my lord.”

After the door slid shut, Byakuya said, “I thought the purification would make you feel more separate from Zabimaru.”

“Yeah,” Renji agreed. “Except Urahara didn’t do a purification, did he? He just slipped me into a Quincy condom.”

Renji got the sense that if Byakuya had had tea, he’d have choked. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Oh, yeah,” Renji fished around in his uniform, until he found the letter in the pocket of his kosode. He handed it to Byakuya, “Here. I told Urahara there weren’t no way I could explain it to you properly. So, I had him write it down for you.”

Byakuya unfolded the note. As he read through it, Renji checked the tea. 

Even though she couldn’t have known he was coming, Miki had sent along two small bowls of oshiruko, a warm red bean paste soup topped with a bit of mochi. Renji put one in front of Byakuya, and took the other. As he waited for the tea to steep and for Byakuya to finish reading, Renji held the bowl up to his nose. The heat warmed his hands, and the sweet smell penetrated the fog surrounding him.

Setting down the note, Byakuya poured the tea. “I’m glad to read that the effects are only temporary.”

Renji nodded. He took a slurp of the dessert, before taking the bowl of tea Byakuya offered him. 

“Miisho has accepted early retirement,” Byakuya said after a while. “I’ve begun the paperwork to promote Nanako Imai.”

Renji raised his eyebrows as he took a sip of tea. Byakuya remembered her name? She must have done good. Renji wondered how ugly the fight with the Third Seat had been. “Did you have to pay off Miisho?”

Byakuya’s jaw flexed slightly. “I did. But, it’s settled now.”

Renji kind of wanted to ask more, but it seemed like Byakuya didn’t want to talk about all that just yet. So, after a mouthful of the sweet soup, he asked, “Has Seichi tried to axe-murder you in your sleep yet?”

Byakuya chuckled a little around his tea. “Not so far. He seems content with gardening work.”

Renji couldn’t picture it. “Content? You sure you’re talking about my Seichi? Because, if he’s smiling a lot, I’d be checking to make sure your staff ain’t plotting revolution or something.”

“Indeed?” Byakuya seemed to consider this for a long moment, as he sipped his tea. Renji noticed he hadn’t touched the oshiruko yet. “How would he have the stomach for such misadventures?”

“Stomach?” Renji repeated, confused. “You mean bottle?”

“No, I mean stomach,” Byakuya said, offering his untouched soup, which Renji took gratefully. “I suspect it’s the richness of the food here. Your brother has been nauseated several times.”

Nauseated? Renji couldn’t quite suppress a chuckle. “He threw up on some expensive imported rug, did he?” At Byakuya’s pained expression, Renji let out of full laugh. “You know, he might have just done that out of spite. ‘Cuz there isn’t much an Inuzuri stomach can’t take. It could have maggots crawling in it; he’d still find a way to keep it down. Trust me.”

“Don’t you think that could be the problem, exactly--if he’s used to rougher fare? Are you saying you had no problem adjusting?”

Renji lifted the bowl of bean paste soup, admiring it. “Well, Academy grub ain’t nearly this fine, but no. I had no problems. The biggest adjustment I had to make was not hoarding it. It took forever to remember I was getting fed regularly. I still sometimes find an extra helping in my pockets. I don’t even remember sticking it there half the time.” Renji shook his head. “I guess it’s possible, but if Seichi is saying he’s sick. It’s probably to get out of work.”

“It’s not that,” Byakuya said refilling Renji’s tea and then his own. “Your brother has been extremely cooperative. His help was indispensable during the ambush of the bandits.”

Renji set down the bowl. Somehow it was already empty, anyway. “Seichi? Cooperative? These words you keep using, Taicho, they don’t go with my brother. Has he seen a medic, because… did the Second replace him with a pod person?”

Byakuya pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly not amused. “You don’t seem to have a very high opinion of your brother.”

“Look, when I knew him he was a thief, a cheat, and, honestly, a serious piece of—“

“As were you,” Byakuya cut in, but not unkindly. In fact, he reached across the table and took Renji by the hand. Holding on, he ran his thumb along Renji’s knuckles. The intimacy of the touch caught in Renji’s throat. “You’ve changed profoundly in the past century. Perhaps your brother has, too.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Renji said, though he still had his doubts. 

Byakuya continued to hold Renji’s hand; in fact, he wrapped his other one around it. 

Renji let out a long breath. “That feels nice.”

It did, too. Renji felt less drifty and more solid when there was something tangible in his grip. The contact of their skin was like an anchor, and suddenly Renji craved the weight of a body on top of his, something to hold him down, keep him grounded.

“It’s good to have you home, if only for a while,” Byakuya said. 

Renji had to fight back the urge to lean across the table and kiss Byakuya. “Is that aunt of yours still around? Because, I kind of want to… you know, I probably could climb the wall, if you—“

Byakuya kissed Renji’s nose quickly. Sitting back he let go of Renji’s hand and returned to sipping tea. “There’s no need for subterfuge, Renji. I quite intentionally didn’t invite my aunt to dinner. You can just stay after Rukia leaves.”

“Oh, right,” Renji smiled.

Byakuya sighed regretfully. “But, I suppose that will have to wait. Shall I call in Nanako, so we can get you up to speed on the Division work?”

Renji grimaced. “Yeah, I supposed we’d better.”

At least he had tonight to look forward to.

#

Byakuya felt the need to ask, “Are you following, Renji?” 

Nanako shot Byakuya a sharp, disapproving glance. It was clear she misinterpreted his concern as some sort of underestimation of Renji’s abilities. 

But, Renji was not himself. Never particularly good at sitting still, Renji organized the tea things, folded and refolded the warm towel, and rearranged the baskets as they talked. That didn’t bother Byakuya, however. That was normal. In fact, Byakuya had come to understand that Renji almost needed to do such things in order to process. 

The moments that Renji stopped moving and just… stared worried Byakuya the most. 

Renji’d been utterly unmoving and completely focused on the watercolor for several minutes now, seemingly lost in his own world. But, he dutifully repeated, “First Division wants the pink copy for requisition orders now, got it.” Pulling himself away from the watercolor with effort, Renji took a long gulp of tea. “Kinjo been behaving?”

“Not really, no,” Nanako said with a sigh. 

Scratching his chin, Renji said, “I could kick his ass again, but I have a feeling that ain’t going to work.”

That was the other thing that was setting Byakuya’s teeth on edge. It was like before. Renji’s grammar was atrocious. And, it reminded Byakuya uncomfortably of the last time Renji’s relationship with Zabimaru had been disrupted. That had been Byakuya’s fault, and Byakuya hated how hearing it all again made him feel. He had to bite back the urge to correct Renji. With a breath, he reminded himself that this was temporary. Like before, time would fix this.

Urahara’s note hadn’t been terribly helpful. He thought back to the opening lines:

> Dear Captain Kuchiki,
> 
> Please excuse Lieutenant Abarai from bankai for the next several days. Someone neglected to inform me that you broke it. Luckily, being contained in the Quincy negation field may help stabilize….

The rest had been a lot of science that Byakuya had tracked enough to know that Renji might be a little ‘fragmented’ for the next several days. But, there was no sense of how much this ‘fragmentation’ would affect Renji’s personality, his ability to function as a lieutenant… or to fight whatever faced them in Hueco Mundo. 

But, Byakuya would have to let Renji go. Rukia would go alone, if she felt she had to. Even… addled Renji offered some protection. 

No, no matter what state he was in, Renji would lay down his life for Rukia, this much Byakuya was certain of.

At least for the moment, Renji seemed to be deeply engaged in solving the problem of the troublesome Seventh Seat, Kinjo. Apparently, there would be some clear laying down of the law, a few chances given, and then, if nothing worked, a transfer. Byakuya nodded his approval.

At that, they went on to other things—which, to Byakuya’s ears, sounded much more like gossip than business.

“You know about Tadahiko and Futaba?” Nanako asked slyly.

“A little Seated/Unseated romance, eh?” Renji said with a grin. But, then he glanced at Byakuya, “Well, I can’t exactly take a hardcore stance against Division romance. Is it getting in the way of anything?”

“No,” Nanako said, also taking a furtive glance at Byakuya. “Though they’re not being very discreet.”

Renji shrugged. “What’s that mean? They snogging in the quad or just holding hands under the mess hall table?”

Nanako sucked in a breath. “They’re sharing quarters.”

“Oh.” Renji said. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, but said, “Shit. Well, that can’t happen. If for no other reason than Unseated Officers aren’t supposed to have private quarters.”

“Are they going to last?” Byakuya asked. Both Renji and Nanako gave him a surprised look, so he explained. “If not, perhaps it might be best just to let the relationship run its course.”

Renji tugged on his ear. “I don’t know, Taicho. I mean: it’s a bad precedent. And what if its natural course is half a century? Are we supposed to turn a blind eye that long?”

“We are in a very awkward position if we start enforcing fraternization rules, Renji.” Byakuya pointed out.

“Yeah, but it seems like we could ask a girl to move out of a guy’s room without too much fuss,” Renji said. “Expecting a little common sense from our officers isn’t too much, is it?”

“Very well,” Byakuya nodded, and turned to Nanako, who’d been watching this back and forth with wide eyes. He told her, “However, it had best come from you so there is no… cause for misunderstanding.” 

She nodded, “Hai, Taicho!”

 

#

They left the Captain’s office shortly after that and Renji spent what remained of the evening before dinner going over the last of the Division work in the lieutenant’s office with Nanako.

They went through the rosters, adding Renji back into several shifts. He set the brush down after they’d rearranged two or three days and gave Nanako a serious look. “I’m probably going AWOL, you know.”

She frowned at the corkboard where she’d just posted the revised schedule. “Can you tell me about it?” she asked the wall.

“Yeah, I can try,” he said, and so he did. It was tough to explain how unstoppable Ichigo was going to be now that a friend was in danger, and how Rukia, who kind of only barely knew the guy in shinigami-time terms, was not going to be able to let Ichigo do something stupid on his own, and how… how the fuck any of this was Renji’s business, anyway. But, Nanako nodded along, like she got it.

She was perched on the edge of his desk now, listening as Renji rambled to a stop. She asked, “And the captain… this time he’s on board?”

Renji nodded. “I think he’s actually kind of pissed off that the Head Captain blew off my offer to make this whole thing official. So he’s going to cover for us.”

Nanako brushed back one of her long braids. “Really? Captain Kuchiki?”

Renji leaned back in his chair, the spring squeaked, as though unused to his weight. “This whole thing with Rukia really changed him, Nanako. Deeply.”

She seemed to consider this for a long moment. Then she nodded, “He’s been a lot more… around the Division. And everyone was absolutely thrilled to get to help with the ambush.”

“I bet. Did you go?”

She shook her head. “I heard it turned ugly. The whole lot of them committed seppuku. I guess only the captain’s lightning fast shunpo saved one.”

Renji made a mental note to ask Byakuya more about that when they had some private time. “No wonder Seichi hurled,” Renji said, more to himself than anything else. To Nanako, he asked, “What’d the captain do with the bodies?”

“Left them for the crows and carrion-eaters.”

“Shit,” Renji breathed. To be fair, it was kinder than the standard practice of nailing the bodies to the Seireitei’s wall or sticking their decapitated heads on pikes at the borders. At least this way, families could collect the corpses of their loved ones, if they dared. Not that there’d be much left if they had to travel far. Rukongai bodies dissipated into reishi slower than pure souls, but they still did.

Renji realized they’d both been sitting in silence for a long time. “You talked to the soldiers that went? They’re doing okay with this? Seeing that side of the captain?”

Nanako blinked away her thoughts. “Yeah, for the most part. Some have even more respect for him now. I mean, I guess he was fast and… merciless.”

Renji nodded. He could picture that all too well. “That’s our captain.”

“You heard who they said was behind this?” 

“No,” Renji admitted.

“Shiba. As in Kaien,” she said, standing back up to return to posting the revised schedules. “They’re saying somehow he didn’t die or maybe got resurrected. No one knows, but I think, if anything, that’s what’s got the guys shook up.”

Renji organized the paper on his desk for filing. “I can see why. That’s fucked up. Kaien’s death… it was shitty to start with. Rumors like this…. “ He had no words. Kaien. Rukia was going to shit. 

His eye lit on the old memorial notice that hung on the wall for Fujimoto, the Eleventh Seat who’d lost her life the night they’d brought Seichi in. That made a thought jump into Renji’s mind, “Hey, speaking of ugly rumors, you ever hear anything more from the Second about the upper District rapes?”

“What?” Nanako turned, looking shocked. “What rapes?”

Renji kicked himself. Had he not told her? Renji got up and went over to the filing cabinet, stopping to clear the old notice from the board. He showed it to Nanako before taking it with him to the cabinet to file in Fujimoto’s jacket. “When Kinjo and I informed Fujimoto’s family of her death, we got a less than warm welcome… I mean, even much less than you’d expect. Turns out, the people in the Second figured any shinigami men out on their own might be after mischief, you know what I’m saying? Which is beyond the Pale because I was wearing my lieutenant’s badge and all. So, anyone out there doing that shit is in full uniform. And it’s our patrol districts. So it could be our guys.”

Nanako’s face was very hard and her hand shook a little as she pressed the final pin into the last roster sheet. In a near whisper, she said, “That’s not okay.”

“You’re telling me,” Renji agreed. “Look, I’ll light a fire under that investigation, but keep your ears open while I’m gone, okay?”

“Damn straight I will,” she said fiercely. 

There was a story there, but Renji didn’t ask. She’d tell him, if she wanted him to know. “Okay, I’d better run or I’ll be late for dinner. But we can talk more about this tomorrow.”

She managed a little smile. “It’s good to have you back, Lieutenant.”

Renji gave her shoulder a pat on his way out the door. “It’s good to be back.”

#

Aunt Masama was unhappy to not be invited to dinner. She stood in the doorway of the library, pouting. Her long white hair had been collected in a single braid, and her kimono was more austere than most of her others, being only three layers: one of green, one of yellow, and an overcoat of sky blue. The blue kimono had been painted with snow geese in flight.

“It’s a working dinner,” Byakuya said, which was a half-lie. He was sure that some Gotei business would be discussed, but mostly he wanted to keep Aunt Massey away from Renji and Rukia. This last was surely true, however: “It would only irritate you.”

“Oh, very well,” she sighed. “But we need to discuss candidates.”

He nodded. Byakuya felt he should give her some concession. Setting down the book he was reading, he said, “I will clear my morning schedule for you.”

“Excellent,” she smiled thinly, “We can begin at breakfast.”

“No,” he corrected her. Picking up the book again, he explained without looking at her, “I will be taking breakfast with Renji, privately.”

Her breath came out in a very unladylike hiss. 

Since she seemed unable to formulate any other response, Byakuya continued, “We can begin immediately following, however. You saw that I approved of at least two interviews?”

“I… thought you understood my objections to… that person.”

He most certainly did. All of them. But, for now, Byakuya would assume that she meant the issues of soul purity. 

Turning the page, even though he had no memory of what had come before, Byakuya said, “There have been provisions made in that regard. I’ve been assured by our former head of the Twelfth Division that, in his current state, Renji is quite… safe.”

“You… he agreed?”

Byakuya glanced up. Masama clutched the doorframe as though her legs had suddenly become unsteady. Her face had drained of its color.

“This shocks you that deeply?” Byakuya asked. But, when she continued to gawp at him, Byakuya shook his head and returned to his book. “You made a strong case, and Renji is a extraordinarily compromising and generous soul.”

The voice at the door was almost a whisper, “Thank you, my lord.”

Byakuya looked up in time to see Aunt Masama fold into a deep bow. Perhaps he should’ve been moved by her graciousness, but Byakuya found this sudden show of respect grating. Thanking him? They both should be grateful to Renji!

“He didn’t do it for you,” Byakuya snapped. Thinking of the cost and feeling a deep stab of guilt, he added, “He did it for me.”

With that he stood up. Turning his back to her, Byakuya returned the book to its spot on the shelf. He made an elaborate show of looking for another until he heard her slippered feet disappear down the hall.

#

The kitchen was hopping with activity when Renji slid in through the servant’s entry. Miki glanced up from her preparations. Seeing him, her broad face broke into a big grin. “Look at you!” she said, throwing her arms wide. But, then she abruptly pulled them back and set them on her ample hips, “What are you doing crawling in the back way? You’re the master’s precious friend! You should be coming in the front door!”

Renji laughed, as he stole a bit of pickles from a bowl, while avoiding her snap of a towel. “The front door? I don’t know how to use a front door. Ask Ichigo. Half the time, I crawled in his bedroom window.”

“Oh!” Miki said in faux dismay, as she chased him out of the kitchen. “You’d better not be telling his lordship you’ve been sneaking into some little tart’s bed while you were away!”

“Oi! It wasn’t like that! Ichigo is a dude,” at her widening eyes, he muttered, “Oh, wait, that sounds worse, doesn’t it? Look, everyone visited him that way… Ah, forget it!” He said, as she continued to snap the towel at his backside, as she herded him back the way he’d come.

After all but pushing him outside again, she gave him a serious look. “I don’t want to hear about your perverted escapades! Now go around to the front. Eishirō is expecting you there. And stop coming this way, or I swear I’ll have the master put a kido lock on it that’s only keyed to servants.”

“I’m hurt, Miki,” Renji said half-seriously. “You saying you don’t want hang out with me anymore?”

She gave him a serious look, but patted his cheek. “I’m saying you should act your station. Go ‘round the front, like a proper guest.”

With that she shut the door in his stunned face. Act his station? That had to be the first time in his life someone meant it that way. But, he supposed she had a point. Eishirō would be pretty ticked off if Renji barged in to dinner already in progress. Shoving his hands in the pocket of his hakama, he started towards the front. 

The gardens looked desolate under the darkening sky. The trees had all lost their leaves to the coming winter. Though heavy with buds, the winter peonies had yet to open. A few white camellias dotted the ground, looking almost like clumps of snow in the wan light.

Renji glanced out across the estate grounds towards the gardener’s hut.

“Looking for me?”

Renji’s hand was on Zabimaru before he recognized Seichi’s voice. “Fuck, man. When’d you turn into a ninja?”

“’Bout the same time you lost your Inuzuri edge, bro,” Seichi said, stepping all the way out from behind the potting shed. But, then he smiled and opened his arms for a hug, which Renji gave him… if a bit awkwardly.

Seichi felt bone-thin under his hands and Renji could rest his chin on Seichi’s head. It’d be a soft pillow, too, what with all those wild blond dreads sticking up every which way. He still wore Renji’s old bandana, covering the ‘dog’ tattoo. 

“You okay?” Renji asked, once they’d pulled apart. He kept his hands on Seichi’s shoulders as he looked him over. It was weird to see the Kuchiki crest there, over his heart. Had Seichi actually taken the retainer’s oath? 

Seichi squinted up at Renji in the low evening light, “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Byakuya says you’ve been sick.”

Seichi let out a sneering kind of laugh. “Yeah, I’m sick of something all right.”

Huh? What was this now? Renji let Seichi’s shoulders go with a confused pat. His head had been feeling pretty good, but now that he was back at the estate, Renji had been starting to feel that drifty sensation again. Anyway, he’d never had much patience for Seichi’s clever sarcasm. “Okay, well, we should talk tomorrow or whatever. I’m late for dinner.”

“Oh, with… him?”

Renji presumed this whispered ‘him,’ must be Byakuya, so he nodded.

Seichi gave Renji a shove in the direction of the door. “Late?” he sounded almost desperate. “You won’t get in trouble will you?”

This conversation was seriously starting to confuse Renji, on a deep and profound level. “Uh… not if I hurry.”

“Go, then!” Seichi begged, “Use that magic speed thing.”

Shunpo? The front door was like a hundred yards away. But, the look in Seichi’s eyes made Renji feel like, maybe he should. So, with a, “Right, so I guess I’ll catch you later, ‘Seich,’” Renji flashed away.

#

Byakuya thought Renji looked exhausted when he finally sat down for dinner. They had gathered in the sitting room of Byakuya’s bedroom suite. The night air was chilly enough that the embers were stoked in the fire pit, giving the room a warm, cozy feel.

Renji kept rubbing his eyes, like he was having trouble focusing. Byakuya caught Renji’s sleeve, “Are you feeling alright?”

Renji nodded as he divvied up the seared tuna between the three of them, “I guess… I just had the weirdest conversation with Seichi.”

Rukia served out the steamed rice. “Seichi? Isn’t he still in the Second Division’s holding cells?”

“He’s our gardener’s assistant now,” Byakuya explained, as he poured sake. 

Rukia gave Renji a look, to which Renji shrugged. So, she turned to Byakuya and said, “That’s okay?”

“I don’t see why not,” Byakuya insisted, taking a sip of the sake. He shook his head at the two of them. Apparently, they had no trust whatsoever in their clansman. Byakuya supposed this said volumes about their lives in Inuzuri, but he preferred not to think about that and the implications regarding Rukia. 

To Renji Byakuya asked, “In what way was the conversation ‘weird’?” 

Renji finished chewing his bite of fish and said, “I don’t know… it was like, if I didn’t know better, I’d say he was scared shitless of you.” Taking sake to wash everything down, he added, “You know it occurs to me that I don’t actually know any better. He probably is freaked out by you.”

Rukia smiled teasingly up at Byakuya, “Have you been spooking the help again, nii-sama?”

Byakuya let out a little snort. You jump out from behind one tansu because you mistake a maid for Yachiru, and they never let you forget it. “Yes, well. I’ve done nothing of that sort that should have frightened your brother.”

Renji, who had been staring into the depths of his sake bowl, glanced up. “You don’t have to do anything, Taicho. You just are. I remember the first time I saw you. I couldn’t breathe.”

Byakuya was surprised to hear this. He only really recalled Renji’s presence for his rudeness, and even then, Byakuya had paid him almost no attention. However, he remembered quite vividly that time at the Eleventh, when he’d gone to see Renji fight—the sun like fire on that ruby-red hair, the play of muscle and tattoo…

Rukia shook her head fondly. “You two. I’d say get a room, but this is your room.”

Renji made a little noise and a blush spread across his nose. “Uh, yeah, I was just thinking that Seichi could be intimidated, is all.”

Byakuya let out a little sigh. “Very well. I shall endeavor to be less… terrifying.”

#

It was late when they finally said goodnight to Rukia. 

Renji leaned against the wall and rubbed his face, watching Byakuya and Rukia making their goodbyes. Nanako would freak to see her standoffish captain actually taking Rukia’s hands in his as he wished her a goodnight. Renji wondered how many centuries it would take for Byakuya to work up to a brotherly peck on the forehead.

Heh. Probably never. But, this was damn close—for him.

Rukia’s face showed just how happy it made her, too.

Sometimes Renji wondered if Byakuya didn’t pick up Inuzuri strays because they’d always jump for joy for the pitiful scraps he could manage. Renji’d be pissed off about it, but it kind of showed how broken Byakuya was, too.

At least they were fucked-up in a complementary way.

Renji reached up and pulled the bandana from his head and undid his hair. He decided to get a start, so that when Byakuya turned around from having closed the door he’d be greeted by the sight of Renji already undressing. Renji had set Zabimaru aside and was untying his obi when he heard Byakuya’s happy sigh. “Come, let me do the rest.”

Careful not to trip over the silk or his own feet, Renji stepped out of the hakama and made his way over to Byakuya. Byakuya’s hands instantly went to the ties at the side of Renji’s kosode, his head bending. 

Renji’s nose dipped in to catch that smell he always longed for—the jasmine and musk and man. To get them out of Byakuya’s way, Renji put his hands on Byakuya’s shoulders. He waited to feel tension—a sense he shouldn’t touch--but there was none. 

Boldly, Renji took advantage of the opportunity. He massaged Byakuya’s muscles, marveling, as he always did, at the compact power hidden in such a lithe and slender form. Byakuya’s shoulders were like steel under the silk of his simple dark blue sleeping yukata. Though Renji wouldn’t have thought he was making a dent, Byakuya seemed to relax under his touch. Into Renji’s collarbone, Byakuya breathed, “I’ve been looking forward to bed all day.”

Renji chuckled, nuzzling the top of Byakuya’s head with his cheek “Me, too.”

As the last tie came loose, Byakuya’s hands slipped inside. Fingers spread wide across Renji’s skin, slowly tracing the contours of ribs and torso. 

Renji continued to rub his face against the silken strands of Byakuya’s hair.

Byakuya murmured happily, but asked, “Are you sure you’re feeling well enough?”

Renji shivered as Byakuya’s fingertips glided up his rib cage. Renji rocked towards Byakuya automatically. “I wouldn’t expect me to remember any kind complicated safe word, but, in some ways, tonight’s the perfect night to tie me to the bed posts and have your wicked way with me.”

Hands continued to spread open Renji’s silks, and Byakuya nibbled at Renji’s throat. “Oh, indeed?”

Renji tilted his head back. Unable to concentrate on anything beyond the sensations jittering through his body, Renji’s hands stopped working the knots out of Byakuya’s shoulders and instead just clung to the fabric there. “Ugh… Oh yeah, the less thinking the better.”

“I’m sure we can come to a suitable arrangement,” Byakuya said, his voice full of amusement. His hands moved up the hard plane of Renji’s chest, stopping to briefly play with stiffening nipples. The sensation was a brief tease, but it had Renji forgetting to breathe.

Renji let go of Byakuya, so Byakuya could work the kosode and shitagi off his shoulders.

The silks slipped to the floor and Renji was bare, exposed, naked…well, but for his tabi. As Byakuya’s tongue traced the tattoos at his throat, Renji tried to use his toes to undo the little side hooks on the socks—and mostly failed. Plus, his attempts made him squirm in an awkward way.

“Renji, _what_ are you doing?”

“Being a moron. I can’t get my socks off.”

A cluck of the tongue, very disapproving, and a heavy sigh: “Very well. I will help.”

Then, just like that, there was Byakuya on his knees. The sight made Renji’s cock spring to full attention. All the blood fled from his brain in a hot rush. Renji must have made a whimpering happy noise, because Byakuya glanced up. Seeing Byakuya looking up at him like that, his mouth slightly open in confusion, eyes wide, his hair free of the kenseikan--just about did Renji in right there, on the spot. 

In fact, Renji’s legs went completely wobbly on him, and he was forced to sit down, hard. His butt hit the tatami with a smack.

Byakuya was either shaking his head or shaking with silent laughter, but, as Renji lay back on the floor and moaned helplessly, the socks came off easily. As he pulled the last one free, Byakuya’s mouth twitched in amusement as he glanced over Renji’s knees. “I must say my affect on you is very… flattering.”

“I’m sorry, I just—you… like that—ugh. Pretty.”

“Indeed.” Byakuya chuckled. He ran his hands along the inside of Renji’s thighs, stroking and nudging them apart. “We’re not going to make it to the bed, are we?”

He sure wasn’t, not if Byakuya kept using his tongue like that. Renji’s breath was coming fast as he watched Byakuya lick the top of his knee and start to work his way down excruciatingly slowly, but Renji managed a husky, “Are you really going to…? I mean I thought you wanted to tie me up.”

Byakuya stopped his progression downward and pierced Renji with a focused glance, “Actually, that was your idea. However, I’m happy to oblige. We can improvise,” Byakuya said, reaching for the obi of his yukata. “I can certainly tie you to yourself.”

“You can?” Renji felt heat spread across his body at the thought. “What’s that even mean? Have you been reading up on some kind of technique or something?”

“Of course,” Byakuya said emotionlessly, but Renji caught the twinkle his gaze. The idea excited him, too. In fact, it seemed almost too much, because he dropped his gaze to say: “Kinbaku.”

Kinbaku? Holy shit. The thought both aroused and terrified Renji. But, was that too complicated? Or was it just what he needed?

As though reading Renji’s mind, Byakuya bit his bottom lip almost regretfully, “Though if we’re going to do that, we’ll need to go to the bedroom. I have special rope.”

Not to mention that’s where the lube was, along with everything else. It seemed like a no-brainer. “Well, then, I’ll race you.”

“A race? Renji, you have no chance of---“ 

Byakuya looked startled when the wind of Renji’s burst of shunpo fluttered his hair. 

Renji grinned widely and waved from the bed in the other room “You were saying, Taicho?”

Taking the time to stand up in a stately manner, Byakuya made his way to join Renji very deliberately. The gesture was only made a little silly by the fact that his yukata was unbelted and gave Renji a fantastic view of pale skin and tantalizing hints of other things as it swooshed open with every step. 

Byakuya sniffed disapprovingly, as he turned to the dresser and started digging through the top drawer, where Renji knew all the sex toys were stored. “You must have galloped on all fours like an animal.”

Renji nodded, “And? I beat you, didn’t I?”

There was a smile in Byakuya’s voice as he said, “Yes, I suppose you did.”

Shifting to stretch his legs the length of the bed, Renji curled his arms behind his head and leaned back against the footboard. “So, how do you want me?”

“To start with, on the floor, on your knees,” Byakuya said very matter-of-factly in a way that shot a thrill of arousal deep into Renji’s core. Having found what he was looking for, Byakuya turned around. His eyes seemed to drink in the sight of Renji sprawled on the bed very possessively, and Renji could see the affect he had on Byakuya as well.

At moments like this, when he had Byakuya’s undivided attention, Renji was often seized by a desire to play it up—do some seductive roll of the hips or run his fingertips along his body, play with himself, something… But, it hardly seemed necessary. Besides, Renji got the sense that part of the turn on was the fact that he was just there, being himself—all rough and uncultured and kind of clueless, totally unpracticed in the art of seduction.

He would lie back and spend the rest of the night admiring and contemplating Byakuya’s arousal, but Renji’s eyes were riveted to the length of very sturdy looking hemp rope, dyed a bright red in Byakuya’s hands. Byakuya noticed Renji’s look and glanced down at it. “You wouldn’t believe how long I considered color. I thought about black, but I didn’t want anything to distract from your tattoos. White seemed… deadly; purple and green and such, all seemed too frivolous and I was afraid they’d clash with your hair. But, red—I can’t help but think of you when I see it.”

All thoughts dried up in Renji’s throat. He slid wordlessly to the floor. His knees slammed to the floor with a heavy thump.

Byakuya’s eyes widened at Renji’s reaction, and a thin smile curled the edges of his lips. Coming to stand over Renji, Byakuya mused, “I see it has the desired effect.”

Renji nodded, he had no articulate thoughts beyond, ‘yes’ and possibly ‘hurry.’ 

Byakuya seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then he said, “Move a little way from the bed so I can get behind you.” As Renji did so, Byakuya tossed the rope onto the mattress and settled in behind him. “Can you fold your arms behind your back for me? Yes, like that. You’ll have to be patient, Renji. The knots are complicated and are meant to be beautiful.”

Patient? He’d be lucky if he didn’t just come thinking about all this. His cock was already so hard and his balls so tight they were starting to ache. Plus, Byakuya was being maddeningly gentle as he wound the rope around and around, occasionally pausing to do something that, with a tug, made everything tight and secure.

“Renji? You’re making a lot of noise, are you okay?”

“Mmm,” Renji managed, though he started in surprise when Byakuya slid the rope around his neck. He jerked a little away from it before catching his breath.

“No?” Byakuya asked, stopping. “Renji, what’s your safe word?”

“’Ikebana,’ but we need one for just hang on a second,” Renji said a little irritatedly, catching his breath.

A strong arm encircled Renji’s waist and drew him back against the solidity of Byakuya’s body. Into Renji’s ear, Byakuya murmured, “We have that. It’s ‘sakura’”

“Oh, right. Well, that then. Just… I think—okay, yeah,” Renji said, relaxing as Byakuya stroked his side rhythmically. Like the touch of his hand at the office, it was grounding to have Byakuya hold him like this. Renji found he could breathe again, despite the pressure on his throat. “I’m okay, go ahead. I’ll let you know if things change.”

Byakuya moved away slowly, stopping to put kisses on Renji’s ear and shoulder. “Please do. If it helps to intellectualize it, this is the part that ties you to yourself, and there’s a knot, here,” he said, tightening something that made Renji’s back arch and his hips and cock thrust forward, “That will keep you from choking, though there will be pressure to…” Byakuya looked over Renji shoulder to admire his finished handiwork. His breath caught at the sight. Words seemed to fail him and he whispered tremulously into Renji’s ear, “Oh. Yes. This.”

Renji would have chuckled if he wasn’t so busy trying not to hyperventilate from arousal. _So much for intellectualizing, eh, Byakuya?_

Byakuya surprised Renji by not standing up immediately. He continued to kneel there, his body closely pressed against Renji’s back. His hands traced along trembling muscles, as if committing to memory the sight of Renji like this—helpless, available. Cool hands left behind trails of heat, as Renji strained to move into them. Even though there were hardly any bindings, Renji felt completely immobilized in a way that had him achingly spread open. 

A thumb flicked Renji’s hardened nipple, and he jerked painfully against the restraints. Byakuya’s other hand took hold of Renji’s cock and began to stroke. All the while his hand played along the length of Renji’s cock, he torturously pulled and twisted at nipple. “Oh, fuck god,” was the most articulate commentary Renji could offer. The rest of it was noises he hadn’t even realized he was capable of making.

Renji’s cock wept piteously as he rode this exquisite torture. Too much more of this and he was a goner.

Byakuya seemed aware of Renji’s limitations and stopped. Though the sudden lack of stimulation left Renji gasping and panting.

Standing up, Byakuya came around to face Renji. Byakuya stood there for a long moment, seeming to admire the shivering, moaning image of Renji on his knees and bound up tightly.

Renji, meanwhile, felt his knees wobbling and swaying. He should have asked Byakuya to secure his legs too, because he felt like he could take nosedive with very little provocation. 

Byakuya slid the yukata from his shoulders to stand completely naked in front of Renji. Renji almost forgot to breathe again. There was no sight more rare a treat than Byakuya completely bare. Then, Byakuya’s hand worked his own cock as he offered his fingers to Renji. Renji sucked them greedily, his eyes locked on what he really wanted. The ropes held him firmly in place. Renji was pretty sure he was starting to growl in frustration.

Byakuya took pity on him and guided his cock into Renji’s desperate mouth. Grasping a fist full of hair, Byakuya set a merciless pace. Renji just tried to keep up with it, sucking and lapping where he could. 

Not really caring, though, because it was rare that Byakuya let himself go like this. Renji watched Byakuya’s eyes, so dilated they looked blown. His cheeks were bright pink with the flush of excitement. Sweat glistened on pale skin, catching strands of inky hair and plastering them to neck and cheek. 

Byakuya looked like a wild thing himself. Then, throwing back his head, Byakuya moaned, “Oh god, Renji.”

And that did it. 

Renji came in a hot, explosive spray, just as Byakuya’s heat filled his mouth. Reveling in the punishing, tearing grip on his hair and the trembling of powerful thigh muscles, Renji swallowed it down hungrily.

Panting, Byakuya let go of Renji’s hair and let his weakened knees fold until he sat back on the bed. Renji would have enjoyed the sight of Byakuya’s post-coital sprawl more, if his own body hadn’t completely failed him. Without Byakuya’s hand holding him steady, Renji made an awkward flail and pitched to the floor face first. He landed hard on his nose and the bindings nearly strangled him. He couldn’t breathe and he started to panic.

Weakly into the floor mats, he managed a croaked, “Ikebana.”

Byakuya’s reaction was swift. He leaped to his feet. As Renji struggled for breath, he heard steel leave a scabbard and the command, “Chire, Senbonzakura.”

 _Wait, what…? He’s killing me_ , Renji thought. _I knew saying ‘no’ would piss him off. I’m going to die._

But, instead, there was the feather-light touch of the wind of passing blades. Then the bonds burst in a scattering of fiber. Renji gasped for air—and coughed as he breathed in the tiny fragments of hemp. But Byakuya was there, kneeling beside Renji on the floor, pulling him upright to grasp the side of his face and anxiously asking, “Are you okay?”

Renji blinked his eyes open to see the flashing blades of Senbonzakura, their pinkish kido light bright in the darkened room, as they swirled and settled back into their sealed form. “That is fucking cool,” Renji said, his voice coming out scratchy. “I don’t know how you can control all of them so precisely like that.”

“Practice,” Byakuya said tersely. His fingertips lightly touched Renji’s throat. “You’re going to bruise, but you seem otherwise undamaged.”

“I guess I was kind of unsteady after all,” Renji said sheepishly.

“As long as you’re not seriously hurt,” Byakuya said. Gently, Byakuya guided Renji to the bed. Sitting beside him, he ran his hands over Renji’s arms, massaging them gently, “Let me see the rest of you.”

Renji tipped his head back and rested it against the headboard and closed his eyes. Byakuya seemed to also be cleaning him off with some kind of warm cloth that appeared from somewhere. Renji was too sleepy to really track it all, but it felt nice. 

“Renji, could you wake up long enough to snuggle?”

“Snuggle?” That word had Renji’s eyes flying open. Somehow Byakuya was tucked under the covers with a new yukata on, this one was a blue-gray and had been painted with falling snowflakes. Renji was still completely naked and sitting, propped against the headboard, outside of the covers. He pulled his fingers through his hair to clear the cobwebs, and quickly shifted to get under the blankets.

Byakuya opened his arms, and Renji eagerly pressed himself in close, wrapping an arm around Byakuya’s slender waist. When Renji had his head under Byakuya’s chin, Byakuya let out a contented breath, “Ah, yes. There.”

Renji smiled. Byakuya wouldn’t last long like this, but it was a tremendous concession to even try. Anyway, Renji would be fast asleep long before Byakuya rolled away. “I love you,” he murmured as he drifted to sleep.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [red ropes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2235969) by [Cerberus_Brulee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerberus_Brulee/pseuds/Cerberus_Brulee)




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